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Biography
The band formed in 1969 as a trio consisting of guitarist/vocalist Mark Farner, drummer Don Brewer, and bassist Mel Schacher. The band was strongly influenced by the hard rock trio Cream, and based much of their style on them. Grand Funk Railroad started to gain mainstream attention when they played the Atlanta Pop Festival in 1969. Due to the success of their performance at the festival they were asked to return in 1970. The band released their debut album “On Time” in 1969. The album contained the single “Time Machine” and went on to reach gold status.
In 1970 the band released their second studio album “Grand Funk” – aka “The Red Album”. Although the album experienced a lack of airplay and critical acclaim, the album sold quite well. Singles from the album include a cover of The Animals’ “Inside Looking Out”, “Got This Thing On the Move”, and “In Need”. The year 1970 also showed the band releasing their third album “Closer to Home”, which had the single “I’m Your Captain (Closer to Home)”. The song is the band’s longest recorded song to date and contains elements of progressive rock. In 1971 the band broke the Beatles’ record of selling out Shea Stadium in 72 hours. That same year they also released two albums: “Survival” and “E Pluribus Funk”.
Grand Funk Railroad expanded their sound by adding keyboardist Craig Frost to their lineup in 1972, which allowed the band to adopt a more R&B and pop style as opposed to their traditional hard rock sound. The band’s 1972 album “Phoenix” was the first studio album with Craig Frost and it contained the single “Rock & Roll Soul”, which reached the No. 29 position on the charts. In order to refine their sound, the band hired Todd Rundgren to produce their next two albums “We’re An American Band” and “Shinin’ On”. “We’re An American Band” was one of the band’s most successful albums to date reaching the No. 2 position on the US Billboard 200 chart. The album also contained the singles “We’re an American Band” and “Walk Like a Man”, which also did well on the charts.
After the band released their 1975 album “All the Girls in the World Beware!!!”, which contained the singles “Some Kind of Wonderful” and “Bad Time”, the members in the band were starting to experience internal problems within the band and were ready to call it quits. However the band stayed together for one more year and created two more albums: “Born to Die” and “Good Singin’, Good Playin’”. Frank Zappa produced “Good Singin’, Good Playin’” and appeared on the tracks “Out To Get You” and “Rubberneck”.
After the band broke up in 1976 Mark Farner embarked on a solo career and Brewer, Schacher, and Frost formed another band called Flint. In 1981 Farner and Brewer returned as the only original members in Grand Funk Railroad and released the album “Grand Funk Lives”. In 1983 they released another album called “What’s Funk”. In the ‘90s Grand Funk Railroad reunited for several reunion shows, but later on Mark Farner would depart from the band and Don Brewer and Mel Schacher would remain the only original members in the band. The band has played numerous sold out shows across world and continue to tour consistently, playing around 40 shows per year.
Live reviews
I am too young to have seen Grand Funk Railroad back in their heyday, but I was fortunate enough to see them at a Bluesfest in 2013. They were still a very good live show, better than I would have expected for a band that started so long ago. The venue was your typical outdoor festival stage set up during the day with the audience standing. This particular audience was on the slightly older side so it wasn’t the electric environment of their younger days, but everyone still thoroughly enjoyed the performance.
The performance I saw included original members Don Brewer on drums and vocals and Mel Schacher on bass. Max Carl performed vocals and did an admirable job replicating the original experience of Mark Farmer. The real draw of their current live show has to be Don Brewer though. He always was a very good drummer and he still absolutely has it. His electrifying performance on drums really brought the show to life and greatly improved the experience.
Grand Funk busted out their old classics like American Band and The Loco-Motion and they still sounded great. The guitar performances were very good and the vocals sounded reminiscent of the original performances. Don Brewer’s performance absolutely brought it to life though. As long as he is a touring member of the group, the show is certainly worth seeing for fans of Grand Funk Railroad.
the sept. 17, grand funk railroad show at hardrock live in Biloxi, ms. was awesome!!!! they played all their great hits. I loved how they talked to the audience, and didn't just sing and then leave. I was surprised, after all these years of being a band and performing, they sound just as good now, as they did way back when!!!! The only thing I could possibly complain about-the show was not long enough for me!!!! I could have gone on listening to them for at least another hour!!!! I really enjoyed the show!!!!!!! Phyllis beard
phyllisbeard
I want my 1 hour and 20 minutes back minus 10 minutes. The skills cannot be denied. But, in my 35 years of going to concerts, this is the first one that had no encore. Extremely bad in anyone's book...it shows what they think of their fans. Also, they did not sing Mean Mistreater, my favorite. The 10 minutes was because they did a bang up job with Closer to Home.
wildrumpus
Grand Funk Railroad was simply amazing. They sounded wonderful live, they played perfectly, and they were really fun to watch. Bruce Kulick’s Star Spangler Banner in the middle of the show was amazing, along with the solo afterwards. And when they played “We’re an American Band” and “Some Kind of Wonderful,” they lit the whole place up. 10/10 for them.
ninjadinger988
Just went to your show last night here in Lincoln City Or Chinook Winds Casino. You guys kicked ass..Great memories and a wonderful trip down memory lane it was like yesterday popping in that 8 track and rocking out.Thanks for so many great tunes.
linda-shields-1
Performance was great..as usual! These guys are electric! this was our fifth time seeing GFR in the last twelve months. Looking forward to the next time we see them. Wish they did an encore though.
Zonk54
Saw them at the Albert Hall when first came to UK brilliant would like some more.
Have all their albums on Spotify so when needing an uplift i plug into GFR
When are they coming to the UK
howard-dini
Grand Funk Railroad was pretty decent, but the real show was The Guess Who. But Grand Funk is really about their dims. You like drum solos, this is the band to see.
JosephB1996
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